Chapter Text
Run through rain, run through fog
Taking consolation in cats and dogs and things that cannot speak
Ran to the ancestral plane, but they all showed up drunk and insane
When I asked what I could offer them
They said, "Gin and tonic or lithium?"
I asked, "Which way should I go?"
Through cigarette-smoke they said
"Child, how would we know?"- Witch Dance, Florence + the Machine
She first sees the creature when she is out on a stroll with her governess.
It is a strange creature, with both the ears of a cat and a rabbit. She sees it from the corner of her eye, a brilliant spot of white against the otherwise green undergrowth. Turning her head, her teal eyes meet those of the strange creatures—and [teal] is startled to find the creature gazing straight back, eyes as red as rubies, as if it is staring into [teal]. She blinks, and the creature darts into the undergrowth, away from sight.
“Governess,” she says, tugging on the adult’s hand. “What is the name of the animal with both cat and rabbit ears?”
Her governess blinks, then laughs lightly. “Is that a new riddle, dear?”
“No! I saw—” [teal] points at the undergrowth, “—over there, just now. There was a creature, with the ears of a cat and a rabbit. It has white fur and red eyes. I looked at it and it ran away into the bushes.”
The governess hums. “Maybe it’s a stray cat with strange ears. It’s best if you leave it be, dear. Wild animals can be dangerous—they don’t think like humans do. It might not understand even if you approach it with good intentions.”
After that brief encounter, she starts seeing the strange animal everywhere. Sitting in the flowerbed, its white fur a beautiful contrast against the black dahlia. Lurking upon tree branches, staring down at [teal] as she passes below. She even sees it darting between furniture in the mansion, although the white furry creature passes by so quickly she can never be sure if it is just a figment of her imagination.
She desperately wants to approach it—the creature is as pretty as it is strange. Now that she has seen it a few more times, she notices details—like the golden rings circling its floppy ears, and the red oval on its back. It has the tail of a fox, although its ears are like those of a cat and a rabbit—no, not quite. The rabbit-like set of its ears are split in three at the ends, with a pinkish fade and three red dots the same shade as its eyes. Just what is this creature? Is it her imagination, or is it following her around?
But she is a good, obedient girl, and the governess told her not to approach potentially wild animals. She takes her governess’ advice, and only admires the creature from afar.
[teal] doesn’t really have friends.
It isn’t that she is lacking in company. Her family mansion is populated by the household staff and her parents’ many students, all willing to spare a moment to play with the darling young mistress. She has a governess, a stern but kind woman who teaches her everything from maths to playing the piano. Her parents always make time for her, despite their busy schedules. Still, the highlights of [teal]’s life are always the trips when her parents take her into town—just the three of them, away from the household and all its responsibilities.
(in hindsight, [teal] wonders if she might’ve been a little spoiled—with so many doting adult figures but nobody her age to knock her down a peg)
They planned the trip into town weeks in advance. But they didn’t account for the fog.
“Sorry, honey.” Her father sighs, frowning at the window. The fog is so thick they cannot see the flower garden in the backyard, let alone beyond. “The observatory didn’t—bah, what am I saying, those fools at the observatory are only ever correct by chance. It isn’t safe to drive in these conditions.” He smiles apologetically, patting [teal]’s head. “I know you were looking forward to this trip. We will go, I promise, but not—”
“Once the fog clears up?” the little ten-year-old asks, biting her lips. Tears prickle at the back of her eyes. She sniffles, trying not to let the tears fall. She’s a big girl now, with an age in the double digits! She shouldn’t burst into tears at every little thing—she really shouldn’t—
“If it clears up by noon.” Her father corrects gently. “Otherwise we will have to postpone it. Your mother has that business trip next week, but perhaps afterwards—”
“But that’s a long time!” [teal] bursts out, losing the battle to hold back her tears. “That’s—that’s—” she glances out the window, at the thick and unforgiving curtain of white. The fog certainly seems in no hurry to leave. “That’s so unfair! You promised—” she sobs, wiping her tears with her sleeves.
Her father frowns, then sighs. “I can’t control the weather, honey. Look, why don’t you get the board games while I find your mother? We can still have fun, just not—”
But [teal] is already storming away. Tears blurring her sight, she runs down the familiar hallways until she reaches her room and slams the door shut.
She leans against her bedroom door, taking huge, gasping breaths as she struggles to breathe through her clogged nose. It’s just not fair, she’s been looking forward to this for so long, and Mama will be away for the entire next week and that’s just so long—!
[teal] shivers, a gust of humid wind blowing in through the open window. She looks up, and freezes.
Perched upon the windowsill, shrouded in mist like a creature of myth, is the strange animal with rabbit-cat ears. Its ruby-red eyes are bright against the foggy white background, and as [teal] meets its gaze, it seems to be inviting her forward, beckoning—
The strange creature turns around and jumps out of the window.
“Wait!” [teal] cries, lunging forward. She stops herself as she reaches the window, watching the creature land on the grass below; what is she doing? Her governess told her not to approach strange animals, they can be dangerous—
But [teal] isn’t feeling like a good, obedient girl. So, after blowing her nose and wiping away her remaining tears, [teal] climbs out of her window in pursue of the strange creature with red eyes.
She gets lost almost immediately. Despite having lived here for the entire ten years of her life, the fog renders every part of the mansion grounds indistinguishable from each other. She follows the tail end of the creature as it weaves across the grass, but its white fur allows it to blend seamlessly into the fog, and—is that really the white-furred creature in front of her, or just the wind stirring the fog into movement?
[teal] slows to a stop, shivering. She is surrounded by the fog in every direction now, the cold humid air biting at her skin through her thin dress. Maybe this was a mistake. Her dad was right—even if they went on the trip to town, how can [teal] enjoy herself in this weather? She should go back to the mansion and apologise. They can have fun at home together—play board games, maybe get the cook to make some hot chocolate—a warm drink certainly sounds nice now—
But which way is home? That must be the direction [teal] came from…but which direction is that?
[teal] turns around, then turns around again. It should be…this way, right? Is it? Or is it the other way, and if she continues down this path she will only be moving further from home?
The white fog suddenly feels suffocating. [teal] stops, crouching down. Around her and above her, the thick curtain of white presses down upon her. It’s cold. The only thing that isn’t white is the grass at her feet, and even that is cold and wet from the fog. [teal] buries her face in her arms, and sniffs.
She wants to go home.
“Hello, [teal].”
[teal] startles so hard she loses her balance, falling onto the cold, wet grass. The red-eyed creature is standing in front of her. And it just spoke.
“You…you can speak?”
“Only to special girls like you.”
Special…? So it isn’t her imagination that this creature has been following her, then? Has it been waiting for a chance to speak to her? But then…why run away into the fog? Is it just shy?
But it would be rude to ask all those questions, a voice that sounds suspiciously like her governess chastises. Instead, [teal] asks, “What is your name?”
“You can call me Kyubey.” The creature—Kyubey replies. “You have a lot of potential, [teal]. Tell me, is there anything your heart desires?”
[teal] blurts out immediately. “This fog. I want it to go away.”
Kyubey nods. [teal] notices it—they?—doesn’t blink. There is something hypnotising about Kyubey’s brilliant red eyes. “Would you like to be a magical girl, [teal]? There are evil beings in this world—witches, agents of despair. But there are also magical girls, bringers of hope, who fight against these witches so that normal people can live happy lives. And you have the potential to become a magical girl, [teal]. Which is why I’m approaching you with this offer—if you agree to be a magical girl, you will gain the duty of fighting against witches, as well as magical abilities and weapons to help you with your task. In exchange, I can grant you one Wish, your heart’s greatest desire.”
Magical powers…like the girls in her storybooks, who fight against evil for the greater good. [teal] can be like them? Not only that, but she will also get a wish fulfilled as a reward?
[teal] does not hesitate. The answer is clear.
She pulls herself upwards, kneeling in front of Kyubey. “Okay, Kyubey. I will be a magical girl. In return, I Wish that this fog will go away!”
Kyubey’s expression doesn’t change, but [teal] feels as if they are happy about her reply. “Very well.”
They raise their floppy ears, hovering in front of [teal]’s chest. S̴̠̕t̷̤̼̹͊̇̃͜a̵̱̭̘̺̽t̵̫̯͓͉̿̆̽ĩ̴̫̗ͅč̷̣ roars in [teal]’s ears as a sudden pressure builds within her ribs. She gasps, feeling as if something is trying to burst out of her. The sensation grows as this thing she didn’t know existed claws its way to the surface—no, is pulled from her by Kyubey—and she—
With a brilliant burst of light—magic—the s̷̼̼͚̞̈̄͘t̴̢̻̣̫́ȃ̴̢͕̼̓̉̾͜t̵̗̻̃ͅȋ̶̛̱̱c̵̯͆ in [teal]’s mind crescendos, and then stops.
The sky is blue, the sun shining. The grass beneath [teal]’s knees are warm and dry. Not a trace of fog remains, and floating in the space between [teal] and Kyubey is a beautiful crystal the same shade as her eyes.
[teal] reaches out curiously, and the teal crystal lands upon her palm without input. It is protected by a golden casing, delicately engraved with swirling cloud patterns. Her chest aches at the sight.
“This is your soul gem, the source of your magic.” Kyubey explains. S̴̠̕t̷̤̼̹͊̇̃͜a̵̱̭̘̺̽t̵̫̯͓͉̿̆̽ĩ̴̫̗ͅč̷̣ once again flares in [teal]’s mind as the crystal—soul gem—transforms into a ring with a flash, fitting snugly upon [teal]’s middle finger. “You need to take care of it, [teal]. Using your magic will cause darkness to accumulate in your soul gem, but that can cleaned using grief seeds dropped by witches. If your soul gem ever breaks or accumulates too much darkness, you will lose your magic. Forever.”
[teal] nods, only half-listening. She admires the silver band upon her finger, with the teal gem embedded in the middle. The ring is decorated with engravings of characters—runes?—she cannot read. She turns her hand, holding it up in the sun. Oh! There is a little cloud painted upon her fingernail, on the same finger as her ring. That’s so cute!
Cloud—the weather! Kyubey kept his promise—the fog is gone! [teal] scrambles to her feet. “You fulfilled my Wish!” she exclaims, grinning at Kyubey. “Thank you so much! I have to hurry back now—Dad promised we can still go on the trip if the fog goes away before the afternoon—and I can find my way back home now that the fog is gone!”
Kyubey’s expression remains the same, but [teal] thinks they are pleased at her excitement. They jump, leaping onto [teal]’s shoulder in one impressive move. “We should go, then.”
[teal] startles; not that she minds, Kyubey is surprisingly light and their fur is really soft, but…
“I don’t think I can bring you home, sorry.” she mutters in apology, “My parents and the governess won’t like it—they don’t know you’re magic, so they’ll just think you’re a wild animal. Sorry. Again.”
“Don’t worry, normal people can’t see me.” Kyubey tells her. “Your family won’t notice I’m here.”
“Oh.” [teal] blinks, then smiles. “Okay, then!”
She heads back towards the mansion, her home a clear destination now that the fog has receded. Climbing back through her bedroom window, [teal] makes it back into her room just in time to hear knocking on her door.
[teal] opens the door to find her parents standing outside her room. True to the magical creature’s words, neither of them so much as glance at Kyubey sitting on her shoulder.
She beams, “Mum, Dad! The fog is gone!”
Her dad chuckles, shaking his head. “Indeed it has. I never expected…but I suppose miracles do happen.”
[teal] grins—a miracle did happen. “So does this mean we can go on the trip after all?”
Her mother laughs, ruffling [teal]’s hair. “Such a stubborn girl.” she teases, “But I suppose a promise is a promise, yes? Go get changed, darling. I’ll tell the driver to get the car ready.”
[teal] cheers. Her parents smile at the simple joy on their daughter’s face, not knowing the first line in a tragedy has already been written.